The economics of military expenditures in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Electromyographic validation of the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles in military press exercises with open grip

It was studied the trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle in 24 male volunteers using a 2-channel TECA TE 4 electromyograph and Hewlett Packard surface electrodes, during the execution of four different modalities of military press exercises with open grip. The results showed that TS acted significantly in the modalities standing and sitting press behind neck, while SI acted in all the modalities, i.e., standing and sitting press behind neck and forward, justifying their inclusion as basic exercises for physical conditioning programmes.

Age-Group differences in perception of competence, goal orientatiom attitudes, and practice of pshysical activity of girls who attend military schools

[EN]This study analysed the differences in self-perception, goal orientation and participation in physical activity (PA) in girls (N= 244) attending military schools. Girls had moderately higher levels of perceived competence, and there were no significant differences between age-groups. The figure for task-orientation was higher than ego-orientation. Girls expressed a positive attitude toward school and PE. Most girls did not practiced PA outside school, but 63,9% were involved in school sports. It seems that the military educational institutions are being successful in helping students to adopt physically active lifestyles. The development of perception of competence, task-orientation, and favourable attitudes seem to be important factors to enhance the levels of PA among students.

Organizational Frames for Professional Claims: Private Military Corporations and the Rise of the Military Paraprofessional

Corporations, nongovernmental organizations, and other organizational forms are major players in the sodal world. Recently, sociological scholarship on organizations has converged with research on the professions to discuss the ways in which professions are shaped or influenced by different organizational forms. In this article, I borrows from the notion of framing within social movement research to argue that organizational forms frame the bids of aspiring professionals. More specifically, I argue that certain organizational forms-such as that of the modern corporation-can aid would-be professionals in making their claims for professional recognition. Organizations do this, I argue, by providing aspiring professionals with a ready-made setting, rationale, and guarantees that make the newcomers more easily recognizable as professionals to outside audiences. I explore this argument by examining how the corporate form has facilitated private military contractors in their attempts to legitimate and develop this highly controversial new industry. The data are drawn from my interviews with private military contractors, state officials, and other interested parties surrounding private military corporations, as well as from archival data that detail the rise of the private military industry.

H1N1 outbreak in a Swiss military boot camp--observations and suggestions

The A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus is a highly contagious pathogen which caused the 2009 influenza pandemic. The virus is known to affect mainly younger people and may be a problem in crowded living conditions. The aim of the study was to describe a major A(H1N1)pdm09 outbreak in a Swiss military boot camp and to develop suggestions for similar future situations.